Waves crashed against the Murloc nest on the crimson lake, churned up by the countless Water Elementals speeding across the surface.
Waves towering over a man's height swept through the entire Murloc nest, demolishing hundreds of wooden huts.
Hundreds of Murlocs inside the nest went berserk, screaming and howling as they grabbed their weapons and leaped into the water, charging toward the caves beneath the nest.
"A double layer of security?" Shi Feng glanced back and broke into a cold sweat.
Hundreds of Water Elementals weren't enough — hundreds of Murlocs were right behind them. Even two or three Elite teams wouldn't stand a chance against that.
Shi Feng had no choice but to dash into the cave at full speed. It was his only sliver of a chance.
But underwater, Shi Feng's speed was abysmal. Unlike a Druid who could shapeshift into a seal and gain a 50% underwater movement speed bonus, he suffered a 50% reduction instead.
The cave entrance was only twenty yards away, but the enraged Water Elementals were closing in fast, the gap shrinking with every heartbeat.
Forty-two yards… twenty-eight yards… twenty yards… ten yards…
Just as Shi Feng was five yards from the entrance, the Water Elementals caught up. They swung their massive, freezing fists down at his head.
Every Water Elemental attack carried a chilling slow effect. One hit was all it took — the Water Elementals would stick to you until you died.
Shi Feng whipped around and activated Parry, blocking the first Water Elemental's fist. He used the enormous force of the blow to propel himself backward a fair distance, but the rest of the Water Elementals surged forward without pause.
"Looks like it's back to town for me." Shi Feng stared at the hundreds of Water Elementals blocking his path and felt utterly powerless.
But just as he was about to give up, he drifted through the cave entrance. Inside, he spotted a humanoid ghost wandering around, roughly thirty yards away.
Shi Feng stopped caring about the odds. He'd die as far from those things as possible — every bit of extra progress would count toward his next attempt. He activated Wind Chasing Sword and shot forward, his speed surging dramatically. Like a wild gale, he blasted past the Water Elementals at the last possible instant and made it onto the cave's shore.
Out of the water, the Water Elementals' speed plummeted. They couldn't hope to catch the wind-sprinting Shi Feng.
Now on solid ground, Shi Feng sprinted toward the humanoid ghost. Just as the Abyssal Blade was about to graze across the ghost's neck, Shi Feng noticed something — this semi-transparent humanoid ghost hadn't initiated an attack.
In a split second, he twisted his sword mid-swing, letting it pass through the ghost's body without drawing its aggro.
"That was close." When Shi Feng saw the data displayed above the humanoid ghost, he broke into a cold sweat.
Hero Floyd, Grand Lord, Level 25, HP 360,000/360,000.
If he had actually struck this Hero and triggered aggro, he wouldn't have had enough lives to survive.
In the Divine Realm, a Hero's power ranked just below that of a Legendary figure. Within a kingdom, their status surpassed even a Marquis — second only to a Duke. Even dead and reduced to a ghost, such a person was a Grand Lord–level monster, a ruler among monsters.
You'd need an Elite raid of a hundred players, all at level 30, to even stand a chance against this ghostly Hero.
"Could he be the guardian?" Shi Feng studied Hero Floyd and silently speculated.
Wherever treasure lay, there was always a keeper. The Murlocs and Water Elementals outside were nothing more than guard dogs — not fit to watch over something truly valuable.
Shi Feng didn't dare linger. With a horde of enemies still on his tail, he hurried deeper into the cave.
The cavern was enormous. A staircase stretched straight down into the depths below. Following it should lead him to the Philosopher's Stone.
The moment Shi Feng reached the top of the stairs, he found a flood of Water Elementals and Murlocs pouring toward him, relentless and seemingly bent on fighting to the death.
"Mere lowborn creatures dare defile this sacred place? Then accept divine judgment!" Hero Floyd's eyes suddenly blazed with fury. He drew the dark-gold greatsword from his back, and a torrent of violent, murderous aura erupted from his body — as though he alone were the sovereign of heaven and earth.